French President Sarkozy urges Côte d'Ivoire President Gbagbo to step down

French President Sarkozy urges Côte d'Ivoire President Gbagbo to step down

2010-12-18 23:49:00 GMT+7 (ICT)

PARIS (BNO NEWS) -- French President Nicolas Sarkozy has warned incumbent Côte d'Ivoire President Gbagbo to step down by the end of the week to avoid sanctions and to allow Alassane Ouattara, winner of the presidential elections, to rule, local media reported.

"Laurent Gbagbo and his wife have their destiny in their hands," Sarkozy said. "If he doesn't leave the post he is occupying, in violation of the will of the Ivory Coast people, their names will be added to the list of international sanctions."

On Thursday, fighting erupted as Gbabgo still controls the military and clashed with supporters of Ouattara, the alleged winner of the run-off backed by the United Nations, the African Union, France, the United States and most of the international community.

The European Union called on the Ivorian Army to switch support to President-elect Ouattara and thus prevent an escalation of violence that could cause a civil war. Meanwhile, the head of the African Union Commission, Jean Ping, arrived to the troubled African country to mediate between the two sides.

After landing, Ping headed to the downtown Plateau district, in Abidjan, to meet with the supporters of incumbent President Gbagbo. He is expected to visit the Golf Hotel afterward, in order to meet opposition candidate Ouattara.

U.S. State Department spokesman Philip Crowley has said the perimeter of the American embassy in Cote d' Ivoire was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade on Thursday. Only slight damage was inflicted, but the department later authorized the departure of non-emergency U.S. Embassy personnel and all eligible family members.

Also on Thursday, at least 30 people were killed during violent clashes after Ouattara supporters intended to storm the state television headquarters but troops loyal to Gbagbo stopped them. The supporters were backed by forces loyal to Soro, the former leader of the New Forces rebel group and now Ouattara's designated prime minister.

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